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Father Michael Lapsley Will Be the Honored Speaker at Washington Adventist University’s Convocation on March 4

Takoma Park, MD (March 3, 2015) South African Anglican priest and social justice activist Father Alan Michael Lapsley, best known as “Father Michael,” will be the honored speaker at Washington Adventist University’s weekly convocation on Wednesday, March 4 at 11 a.m. Open to the public, the convocation will take place at Sligo Seventh-day Adventist Church, located at 7700 Carroll Avenue in Takoma Park, Maryland.

Father Michael will also be honored on Saturday, March 7 at 6 p.m. at the Living Legends Awards, hosted by the Human Symphony Foundation at the University of Maryland’s Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center.

Born in New Zealand, Lapsley was ordained into the priesthood in Australia, where he joined the religious order of the Society of the Sacred Mission. In 1973, Lapsley travelled to Durban, South Africa where as an undergraduate student, he became chaplain to students at both black and white universities during the height of the apartheid repression.

When Lapsley began to speak out on behalf of schoolchildren who were shot, detained and tortured, he was expelled from the country. He went to live in Lesotho and continued his studies there, while supporting the liberation struggle.

Lapsley is a graduate of the Australian College of Theology, the National University of Lesotho and the University of Zimbabwe. He was the subject of Priest and Partisan: a South African Journey, written by fellow South African priest and theologian Michael Worsnip, with a foreword by Nelson Mandela.

In September 2006, on the fifth anniversary of the 9/11 attack on America, Lapsley joined more than 30 terror victims from around the world -- including families of those killed in the September 11 attacks -- to create the International Network for Peace to promote effective and nonviolent solutions to terrorism.

Lapsley is the author of Redeeming the Past:My Journey from Freedom Fighter to Healer with Stephen Karakashian, which includes a foreword by Archbishop Desmond Mpilo Tutu. The book details Lapsley’s struggle against apartheid in South Africa, and how a letter bomb nearly killed him, taking both hands and one of his eyes. With an entire nation in need of healing, Lapsley discovered that his own experience with trauma could help promote the healing of others.

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Washington Adventist University is Montgomery County's only four-year private college. Part of the Seventh-day Adventist system of higher education, Washington Adventist University has been educating college students since 1904 on a 19-acre campus in suburban Takoma Park, close to the nation’s capital. Approximately 1,100 students of all faiths participate in the university’s eight graduate and 32 undergraduate programs. The 2014 edition of U.S. News & World Report ranked Washington Adventist University among the best regional colleges in the north.

School of Graduate and Professional Studies Starts 2nd Session of Spring Semester March 8-12

Degree Programs Accommodate Working Adults

Takoma Park, Md. (February 26, 2014) March 8 marks the start of the second session of spring courses offered by Washington Adventist University’s School of Graduate and Professional Studies (SGPS). For the past 30 years, the evening program has accommodated the needs of working adults, offering accelerated classes and flexible schedules. The SGPS offers 11 undergraduate programs and eight master’s programs (two fully online).

Anyone interested in earning a new degree or completing one that is still unfinished should call the SGPS office staff at 301-891-4092 for assistance in finding the program and schedule that best suits their needs.

The SGPS office is open from 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., Monday through Thursday; and 8:30 a.m. to noon on Friday. During those hours, SGPS advisors will be on hand to answer questions and help with class registrations. New classes start the week of March 8-12.

The university campus is located in suburban Takoma Park, Maryland, near the intersection of Carroll and Flower avenues with convenient, free parking and easy access to bus stops and a Capital Bikeshare station on campus. The Takoma Metro station is 1.5 miles away.

Washington Adventist University is Montgomery County's only four-year private college. Part of the Seventh-day Adventist system of higher education, Washington Adventist University has been educating college students since 1904 on a 19-acre campus in suburban Takoma Park, close to the nation’s capital. Approximately 1,100 students of all faiths participate in the university’s eight graduate and 32 undergraduate programs. The 2014 edition of U.S. News & World Report ranked Washington Adventist University among the best regional colleges in the north.

Public Art Exhibition, Lecture and Presentation Mark 10th Anniversary of WAU Honors Program

Takoma Park, MD (February 23, 2015) In recognition of its 10th anniversary, Washington Adventist University's Honors Program is hosting a variety of events, including an art exhibition, lecture and presentation, that are open to the public. The spring anniversary events begin on Wednesday, February 25 and continue through April 8. An ongoing exhibition, "1844: Millerism and the Legacy of the Great Disappointment" will continue through March 15 in the Weis Library reading room on campus.

February 25 Lecture

The first event, on February 25, is a lecture by New York writer, historian, professor, and practicing attorney Warren Shaw, "Drop Me Off Uptown: The Harlem Renaissance 1919-1935." The lecture will be held at 7 p.m. in the Richards Hall Chapel on campus. Richards Hall is located on Flower Avenue, near the intersection with Carroll Avenue. Parking is available both in front of and behind the building.

March 4 Exhibition

On March 4 at 7 p.m., there will be an opening reception for the exhibition, "Morris Cox: Paintings and Color Prints 1936-1956." The exhibition runs through April 22 in the English Department offices, located in Wilkinson Hall, 7600 Flower Avenue, Takoma Park, Md. 20912. This is the first exhibition in the United States to feature early paintings and linocuts by the London-based surrealist artist, writer and private printer, Morris Cox (1903-1998). He is best known for books he produced through the Gogmagog Press. Surrealist techniques in Cox's work will be addressed along with his contributions to the medium of color linocut printing during the modernist period in Britain. Visitors who want to see the exhibit on dates and times other than the opening reception are advised to call 301-891-4065 or email english@wau.edu to ensure that the offices will be open.

April 8 Presentation

A presentation by the developers of the Maryland Biodiversity Project will be held on April 8 at 7 p.m. in the Richards Hall Chapel. The Maryland Biodiversity project is an innovative website that uses crowd-sourced and other material to document the flora and fauna in the State of Maryland. There are currently more than 7,300 species documented on the site. Project founders Jim Brighton and Bill Hubbick will discuss the project and demonstrate ways that the site can be used for research, education and personal enlightenment.

In addition to these events, there will be a reunion of Honors Program alumni from the past ten years at an Honors Alumni Weekend Brunch on Sunday, April 12 at 10 a.m. as part of the university's annual Alumni Weekend, which is April 9-12 this year.

On May 1 at 5 p.m., the Honors Senior Dedication will be held in the Sligo Seventh-day Adventist Church Atrium, 7700 Carroll Avenue, Takoma Park, Md. 20912. This annual event recognizes graduating seniors, and is part of the university's commencement weekend. Refreshments will be served and all are welcome to attend.

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Washington Adventist University is Montgomery County's only four-year private college. Part of the Seventh-day Adventist system of higher education, Washington Adventist University has been educating college students since 1904 on a 19-acre campus in suburban Takoma Park, close to the nation's capital. Approximately 1,100 students of all faiths participate in the university's eight graduate and 32 undergraduate programs. The 2014 edition of U.S. News & World Report ranked Washington Adventist University among the best regional colleges in the north.

Mock Trial Team Participates For Second Year in American Mock Trial Association Competition

Takoma Park, MD (February 24, 2015) The Mock Trial Team at Washington Adventist University (WAU) competed for the second year in a row at an American Mock Trial Association (AMTA) competition. The team competed over the weekend in the Baltimore Regional Competition at the University of Maryland School of Law. The competition included teams from Howard, Princeton, Towson, Mount St. Mary’s, Georgetown, Johns Hopkins, Rutgers, William & Mary, Swarthmore and Bucknell universities.

“The Mock Trial Competitions offer wonderful opportunities for our students to gain relevant experience in the field of law,” said Joan Francis, D.A., chair of the History and Political Studies Department at Washington Adventist University. “We work hard to challenge and educate our students beyond the classroom so that when they graduate, they are better prepared to pursue their goals.”

Washington Adventist University is the first and only Adventist institution of higher education to participate in the AMTA’s Mock Trial Competition. Last year, the WAU team competed for the first time, taking part in the Richmond Regional Competition after being granted a Sabbath exemption. That exemption enabled the team (many of the members are Adventist) to compete at times that did not conflict with their Sabbath. The team competed in Round 1 on Friday afternoon at 12 noon; Round 2 on Saturday evening at 6:30 p.m.; Round 3 on Sunday at 9:30 a.m.; and Round 4 on Sunday at 2:30 p.m. The closing ceremony was held on Sunday at 6:00 pm.

In this year’s competition, John Hofilena served as team captain. He is a senior who is majoring in political studies and minoring in marketing, and he represented a lawyer in the competition. Other team members include: Zjayah Baker, a sophomore political studies major who represented a lawyer; Arlindo Dos Santos, a senior political studies major (prelaw emphasis) who represented a lawyer; Eloney Perry-Ryan, a first-year political studies major (prelaw emphasis) who represented a lawyer; Shavonne Cadette, a junior political studies major who represented a witness; Jacky Jeanty, a senior theology major (prelaw emphasis) who represented a witness; Candice Green, a junior English major (prelaw emphasis) who represented a witness; and Lillian Wanjiku, a junior history major (prelaw emphasis) who also represented a witness. Melayna Brown, a junior political studies major served as the Time Keeper during the competition. Attorney coaches for the team are Petra Aaron and Joseph Caleb.

Teams in the competition are rewarded for witnesses and lawyers, as well as for overall teams. WAU received an award for Witness for the Plaintiff, Candice Green.

Four team members participated in both years’ competitions. They include Hofilena, Cadette, Wanjiku and Brown. Students are invited to join the Mock Trial team, based on their participation in the class PLST 275, American Judicial System.

For more information about the Mock Trial Team, email jfrancis@wau.edu or call 301-576-0110.

Washington Adventist University is Montgomery County's only four-year private college. Part of the Seventh-day Adventist system of higher education, Washington Adventist University has been educating college students since 1904 on a 19-acre campus in suburban Takoma Park, close to the nation’s capital. Approximately 1,100 students of all faiths participate in the university’s eight graduate and 32 undergraduate programs. The 2014 edition of U.S. News & World Report ranked Washington Adventist University among the best regional colleges in the north.

Scholarship Opportunities are Available to African American and Low Income Graduate Nursing Students

Takoma Park, MD (February 20, 2015) African American and low-income students who are interested in earning a master’s degree in nursing at Washington Adventist University are eligible for scholarship funding to help pay for their education. The University is a recipient of U.S. Department of Education grant funding, which includes student scholarship funds to help African American and low-income (non-African American) students gain access to nursing education.

“These scholarships can be life-changing for the individuals who are eligible,” said Karen Benn Marshall, Ed.D., who is Dean of the School of Health Professions, Science and Wellness. “I encourage those who are interested in a graduate nursing degree to apply and take advantage of this support.”

Students eligible for the scholarship funding must: (1) be a citizen or permanent resident of the United States; (2) be African American or provide income documentation that they are low income (non-African American); (3) apply and gain acceptance to the graduate nursing program at Washington Adventist University; (4) complete a student application form for the funding online athttps://www.wau.edu/images/Nursing_Dpt/Student%20Application%20for%20Grant%20for%20graduate%20nursing%20program.pdf; and (5) submit a 500-word, typed essay (see details on the application form) that covers the applicant’s reasons for seeking funding, along with examples of their contributions to the African American or low-income community.

Once their application is submitted, students will be notified of the amount that will be awarded to them. In order to maintain their funding eligibility, they must maintain all other nursing program requirements.

New evening classes start the week of March 8, and there’s still time to apply. For more information or to apply online, go to https://www.wau.edu/academics/school-of-graduate-and-professional-studies) or call 301-891-4092 on weekdays: Monday through Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; and Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 12 noon. The University’s School of Graduate and Professional Studies offers accelerated degree programs with flexible schedules to meet the needs of working adults.

Washington Adventist University has been educating students on its 19-acre campus in Takoma Park for 110 years. The campus is located adjacent to Washington Adventist Hospital and is Metro-accessible -- located 1.5 miles from the Takoma Station, with a bus stop and Bikeshare station on campus. Students can also park for free in lots located in front of and behind the academic buildings, located along Flower Avenue near the intersection with Carroll Avenue.

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Washington Adventist University is Montgomery County's only four-year private college. Part of the Seventh-day Adventist system of higher education, Washington Adventist University has been educating college students since 1904 on a 19-acre campus in suburban Takoma Park, close to the nation’s capital. A total of 1,080 students of all faiths participate in the university’s eight graduate and 32 undergraduate programs. The 2014 edition of U.S. News & World Report ranked Washington Adventist University among the best regional colleges in the north.

- the schools -

The School of Arts & Social Sciences offers a curriculum focused on fostering the development of the skills essential to be successful in the global service economy of the 21st Century: writing, critical thinking, debate, analysis, and an understanding and appreciation for cultural diversity.

The School of Health Professions, Science & Wellness employs a philosophy that balances practical training and theory in approaching education for future health sciences professionals. We bridge the gap between concept and practice.

For more than 25 years, WAU has been a leader in providing career building undergraduate degree programs for working professionals. WAU has continued to expand those offerings by adding graduate programs. This provides undergraduate students the opportunity to transition into graduate programs and continue to enhance their skills and competitive marketability.